Well here's some good news from the State Capitol — a State House committee voted this afternoon to advance a bill that would provide workers in our state up to 26 weeks of paid family leave.
That means paid family leave could be headed soon to a vote of the full State House. There's still a long road ahead, but this is a major step forward.
We make progress like this when people like you speak out and share your stories.
Because the politicians who cast the votes in the State Legislature may not have the same experiences as you.
They might not know what it's like to have to go back to work 10 days after having a new child.
They might not know what it's like to worry about how their families are going to care for them in their older years.
They might not know what it's like to have a family member with a chronic illness who depends on their care... and their income.
That's why it's so powerful when people who do have these kinds of experiences share their stories to bring the issue home. It’s a key part of how an issue like paid family leave goes from a dream…to a bill…to a law benefiting millions of workers.
Want to get inspired about the importance of paid family leave? Check out some of the stories that have been submitted by people from Port Townsend to Edmonds to Camas to Richland and all across the state.